The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for washing a vehicle.
In most existing vehicle wash systems (e.g., car washes), control signals are sent to wash equipment elements (e.g., soap sprayers, brushes, dryers) for controlling the elements while washing a vehicle. Simple measurements may be determined that govern the control signals, such as the velocity the vehicle is traveling through the wash equipment elements. However, as differently sized vehicles pass through the wash system, the effectiveness of the wash may very depending on the size and shape of the vehicle. Large trucks may have the brushes pressed directly against the sides and roof of the truck, potentially damaging the vehicle or scratching the paint. Similarly, for small, compact cars, the wash equipment may be positioned too far from the sides and roof to effectively clean the car.
Another approach is to store various profiles of a number of vehicles in a database and load a profile specifically for each vehicle entering the wash system. This is time and labor intensive as an operator must identify each vehicle and select the profile from the database. Additionally, the profiles may not account for model changes from year to year and/or any after market alterations to the standard vehicle set-up. For example, if an owner has installed a rear spoiler, or different wheels that alter the height of the vehicle, these changes are not included in the loaded profiles. Again, this can lead to damage or an incomplete wash.